Buccaneer Archipelago
The Buccaneer Archipelago (English Buccaneer Archipelago, German " buccaneer archipelago "), is an archipelago in the Indian Ocean in Western Australia's Kimberley region.
- 5.1 Koolan Iceland
- 5.2 Cockatoo Iceland
Geography
The approximately 800 to 1000 primarily to small islands are located on the northern coast of Western Australia, east of the Cape Leveque the Dampier Peninsula, west and north of a peninsula between King Sound and Collier Bay. The largest islands are Koolan Iceland ( 27.1 km ²), Hidden Iceland ( 19.7 km ²), Irvine Iceland, Long Iceland ( 14.8 km ²), Sunday Iceland (13.3 km ²) and Lachlan Iceland ( 12.9 km ² ).
History and population
For a long time the islands were inhabited by Aboriginal people, even today there are again some settlements. The archipelago is named after the English buccaneer William Dampier, who discovered the archipelago on 15 January 1688. The islands were in the 19th century much of the Australian pearling industry, which had its center in the port city of Derby at the southern end of King Sound. Even today, pearls breeding farms are located in the bays along the coast. In the first half of the 20th century were discovered large iron ore deposits on some islands. The degradation continues to this day. Of increasing importance is the tourism.
Nature
The islands are characterized by sandstone rocks and strongly structured. They are a continuation of the coastal range. You are covered quite sparse, in some places there are rain forest, mangrove forests along the coasts.
Wildlife
In the archipelago there is a great diversity of species. The marine region of the island is also characterized by a strong tide. Because of the dangerous flow conditions and the variety of dangerous animals (snakes, saltwater crocodiles ) and the great remoteness, the islands are considered dangerous for individuals ..
List of some islands and archipelagos
- Admiral Iceland, 16 04S, 123 23E
- Allora Iceland, 16 25S, 123 10E
- Bathurst Iceland
- Bayliss Islands
- Bedford Islands, 16 08S, 123 19E
- Byron & Lord Islands, 16 10S, 123 27E
- Caffarelli Iceland, 16 02S, 123 18E
- Cleft Islands
- Chambers Iceland, 16 17S, 123 34E
- Cocatoo Iceland
- Dorney Iceland, 16 17S, 123 25E
- Fairway Islands
- Finch Islands
- Fraser Iceland
- Gagg Islands
- Gibbing Iceland
- Gregory Iceland, 16 19S, 123 19E
- Henrietta Islands, 16 25S, 123 38E
- Hidden Iceland, 16 16S, 123 29E
- High Iceland, 16 21S 123 20E
- Irvine Iceland, 16 04S, 123 32E
- Jackson Iceland, 16 26S, 123 06E
- King Hall Iceland
- Kingfisher Islands Kingfisher Iceland, 16 06S, 124 05E
- Melomys Iceland, 16 10S, 124 05E
- Sunday Iceland
- Sunday East Iceland
Individual Islands
Koolan Iceland
On the located on the eastern edge of the archipelago 's largest island are the remains of one of the largest iron ore mines in Australia. Between 1965 and 1993, here some 68 million tons of iron ore were promoted. There are plans to renature the abandoned mining areas, but at the same time take over mining again, and by 2014 to produce approximately 29 million tons of ore. A port and a city for around 200 workers are also planned.
Cockatoo Iceland
Located on the north of the Yampi Sounds ( 16 ° 05 ' S., 123 ° 37 ' E. ) island is located in the East, founded in the 40s, now depleted iron ore mine and a tourist resort in the west, to the part uses the former miners city. Most of the 35 residents working for the mining company BHP Billiton.